‘Resignation Not Enough,’ Iroegbu Demands Full Probe Into Dangote’s Allegations NMDPRA

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dickson Iroegbu, has said that the resignation of senior petroleum regulators following allegations by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote was not enough, insisting that a full investigation must be carried out.

Iroegbu made the remarks while speaking as a guest on the Arise News Prime Time programme on Friday night, where he reacted to allegations made by the President of the Dangote Group against the immediate-past Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.

“If Farouk Ahmed as accused by Comrade Aliko Dangote, and I called him ‘Comrade’ deliberately because what we saw him do was very unusual,” Iroegbu said. “It’s very unusual what he did. The whistle blowing and all of that.”

He argued that the federal government should have focused on tackling corruption in the oil sector rather than removing fuel subsidies.

“Just like when some of us keep saying that the issue of removal of subsidies shouldn’t have been what government of our country should be involved in, but rather fight the corruption, the rot in the system,” he said.

Iroegbu stressed that Dangote’s extensive investment in the petroleum sector lent weight to his claims and warranted urgent action.

“At this time, I expected that the investigation should commence in earnest because if a public officer lives beyond his earnings, then indeed it calls for serious questioning,” he said.

“I don’t think we should take this lightly. There is a lot of corruption, a lot of rot in the oil sector and that is what has played out.”

Iroegbu also criticised the federal government’s handling of corruption allegations, saying resignations were often treated as a final resolution.

“I think the APC government, especially the Ahmed Bola Tinubu government, seemed to be treating allegations as we have in this case with levity. Once the said individual resigns, that’s it. And we just move on.”

“So if these rots are now being reviewed by the highest investor in that sector, then indeed, this is actually what should have been tackled,” he added.

The remarks come amid the resignation of key petroleum regulators following allegations and a petition filed by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote

LEADERSHIP reported that the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, resigned on Wednesday following allegations by Aliko Dangote of economic sabotage and actions undermining domestic refining, while the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, also resigned in the wake of the allegations.